1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved refrigerated beverage carrier adapted for transportation on a bicycle, and a method of manufacture thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, bicycling enthusiasts frequently like to carry a beverage in a container with them so as to satisfy their thirst and prevent dehydration. Very typically the beverage container is merely a flask of water. While general purpose beverage containers, such as canteens and bottles, can suffice to serve as beverage carriers on a bicycle, they cannot be carried conveniently on the person of the rider. As a consequence, special purpose beverage carriers have been developed for use with bicycles.
A bicycle may be provided with a wire cage or pocket strapped or otherwise mounted on the bicycle frame to receive a beverage flask therewithin. The beverage carrier cage is typically formed by a wire framework shaped to capture and hold beverage receptacles of standardized geometric configurations and sizes. The beverage carrier cage is typically mounted by bolts or metal straps to the forward, upwardly inclined structural frame member nearest the front wheel of the bicycle. The wire and plastic cage is shaped to snugly receive a plastic beverage flask therewithin and hold it alongside and parallel to the inclined frame member. The user merely slips the flask into the beverage carrier cage while riding, and withdraws it when desired to take a sip of a beverage.
A typical bicycle beverage flask is formed in a generally cylindrical configuration with a narrowed neck and a mouth at its upper end and a flat disk-shaped bottom at its opposite end. A valve is typically mounted in the mouth of the bicycle beverage carrier flask so as to minimize the likelihood of spilling of the beverage while riding a bicycle. The sides of the beverage carrier flask are soft so that they can be squeezed to force a liquid beverage out through the valve and into the mouth of the rider.
One problem which has persisted in the use of conventional bicycle beverage carriers is that the contents of the carrier frequently becomes excessively warm. When riding a bicycle during warm weather under the conditions during which thirst quenching and fluid replacement is most desired, the beverage in a conventional carrier, like the rider, will become overheated. As a consequence, the contents of the beverage carrier become warm. The beverage thereafter does not serve its principal purpose of refreshing the bicyclist, and indeed the imbibition of a warm beverage by a bicyclist seeking such refreshment can create a certain degree of nausea.
To attempt to remedy this problem the bicyclist will frequently attempt to cool the contents of the carrier prior to undertaking a bicycle journey. The simplest way of cooling a bicycle beverage carrier is by placing ice cubes in the carrier. However, on a warm day the cooling effect of ice cubes lasts only a relatively short period. After a half an hour or so the contents of the beverage carrier are just as warm as if ice had never been introduced into it.
To attempt to create a more lasting effect artificial refrigerants have been employed. Such conventional refrigerants may take the form of cubic or spherical capsules of plastic filled with a material which absorbs a greater quantity of heat when changing from a solid to a liquid state than does plain water. One such substance is a mixture of 10% propylene glycol and 90% water. Such a substance is classified as a food grade refrigerant, is non-toxic, and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
In conventional practice cubes or other capsules of the artificial refrigerant are frozen in a freezer prior to undertaking a bicycle journey. The small capsules of artificial refrigerant are then placed in the bicycle beverage carrier and the remaining volume of the carrier is filled with a beverage, such as water. While the refrigerant filled capsules do provide a greater cooling effect to the beverage in the container than plain ice cubes, the capsules float at the surface of the beverage, and thereby absorb some heat from the ambient air within the beverage carrier, as well as from the fluid to be cooled. As a consequence, a substantial portion of the cooling effect of the refrigerant capsules is dissipated due to thermal cooling of air within the beverage carrier, as well as cooling of the liquid beverage.